Week 10: Colorful Corn Chowder

Vegetable ingredients: Corn, red and green pepper, mushrooms.


I know, I know, it's not really the season for corn chowder, but there aren't too many vegetables I like and this recipe seemed comparatively healthy. Also, I'm running out of ideas (too many vegetables I don't like, too many preparation styles that sound too complicated), and chowder is something I know and like.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped (forgot about those, tossed in a handful of sliced mushrooms instead)

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed

• 1 1/2 cups dry potato flakes 

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 3 cups water

• 2 cups milk

• 1 cup half-and-half

• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

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  Direction

  In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Cook onion, red and green bell peppers, and carrots until tender. Stir in thawed corn, potato flakes, salt, ground peppers, and 3 cups water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in milk and half and half. Warm only. Do not boil. Serve sprinkled with grated cheese.

  
  
  Verdict: 7/10
  
  
  Nice enough, not spectacular, but we had some baguette, cream cheese, and smoked salmon left over, which made for a nice addition. It looks cheesier than it tastes (a good thing). I pureed some of the soup and tried to sell it to my four-year old as cheese soup, but she took only one spoonful and frowned. Definitely took longer than 30 minutes to prepare (I'm not very good at prepping vegetables). One comment was "too soupy," but I didn't mind. Would have fed 4 people for dinner (recipe said: "serves 10", which, as usual, was a joke). Was also good the next day.